Perceptions of Being
I have been riding my bike almost exclusively since March. In six months, I have become intimately familiar with the pavement between most of the places that I frequent - especially my house and work.
I think I’ve also seen most of the driver response to me.
And yet, I’m still surprised when people are nice to me or clearly not being nice to me.
Today, I experienced both.
This morning, I was grateful to a driver that let me get in front of a line, so I did not have to wait behind the cars, breathing in the oh so intoxicating fumes. I thought about their kindness several times throughout the day.
On my ride home; however, a truck passed me and then, a few hundred meters later, sat at a red light until I got there and then pulled out into the shoulder to make a right turn. I had to hit my brakes to avoid being smooshed. They definitely knew that I was there.
At least, that’s how I perceive them. I may be wrong. The nice person that I remember from the morning may have fumed at my audacity to ask to go first. The guy driving the truck may not have seen me and assumed I was further back. I don’t know. I really can’t ever know. All I can do is try to be safe and kind when I go out in the world and hope that others perceive that of me.
Tomorrow, I’ll get up and hop on my bike and hope everyone will be nice, or at least not actively mean to me. It is harder to get around by bike than car, but it is also more fun most of the time, and it carries a much smaller impact.